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Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Freshman Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-CD7) took the stage at the Democratic National Convention this evening, and attacked Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump hard about his attempts to "scam" people into believing he cares about veterans.

Gallego contrasted the values learned during his experience as a Marine in Iraq; "Donald Trump is a man who questions the loyalty of those who serve our country without ever himself serving. That is not patriotic. Service and sacrifice? Donald Trump says about Senator McCain 'lots of people were not captured.' As a Marine, as an American, I am offended."

He then hit Trump's use of veterans: "One of my fellow Marines called Trump University a complete con. I say that about Donald Trump himself. Donald Trump is a scam artist. He is trying to pull off the ultimate scam, pretending he cares about veterans. Hillary Clinton is the real deal."

Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will be addressing the convention later this evening.

(C-Span's closed captioning transcript. Generally, pretty rough.)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THESE DAYS SOME PEOPLE, CONGRESSMAN. THE PROUDEST TITLE I'VE EVER HAD IS THAT IT UNITED STATES MARINE. I SERVED IN IRAQ, AND THE LEGENDARY LIMA COMPANY OUT OF OHIO. DEPLOY BEHIND -- BESIDES ME WERE THE SONS OF NATIVE AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, MIDWESTERN WHITE BOYS, AND MUSLIM AMERICANS AS WELL. [APPLAUSE] WHILE WE WERE LOOKING FOR INSURGENTS IN IRAQ WE DO NOT CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER'S RACE OR RELIGION. WE FOUGHT TOGETHER. WE LAUGHED TOGETHER AND WE MOURNED TOGETHER. PATRIOTISM, SERVICE, AND SACRIFICE. KEEPING YOUR WORD. THOSE ARE THE VALUES OF UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. THOSE OVER AMERICAN VALUES. THOSE ARE NOT DONALD TRUMP'S VALUES. DONALD TRUMP IS A MAN WHO QUESTIONS THE LOYALTY OF THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY WITHOUT EVER HIMSELF SERVING. THAT IS NOT PATRIOTIC. SERVICE AND SACRIFICE? DONALD TRUMP SAYS ABOUT SENATOR MCCAIN, "LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE NOT CAPTURED." AS A MARINE, AS AN AMERICAN, I AM OFFENDED. WHEN IT COMES TO HONORING THE SERVICE OF OUR TROOPS, TRUMP HAS INSPIRED THE MISS WORK BECAUSE OF THEIR DUTY. THAT IS NOT JUST ILLEGAL, IT IS IMMORAL. AND SET OF KEEPING HIS WORD TO VETERANS, HE HAS USED US AS AN EXCUSE TO BACK OUT OF DEBATES THEN FAILED FOR MONTHS TO DELIVER ON THE DONATION HE PROMISED TO VETERANS. ONE OF MY FELLOW MARINES CALLED TRUMP UNIVERSITY A COMPLETE CON. I SAY THAT ABOUT DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF. [CHEERS] DONALD TRUMP IS A SCAM ARTIST. HE IS TRYING TO PULL OFF THE ULTIMATE SCAM, PRETENDING HE CARES ABOUT VETERANS. HILLARY CLINTON IS THE REAL DEAL. SHE FOUGHT FOR THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL AND THE SENATE TO SEND OUR VETERANS A COLLEGE. SHE EXTENDED HEALTH INSURANCE TO AMERICA'S RESERVISTS, AND SHE HAS A REAL PLAN TO COMBAT VETERANS HOMELESSNESS. MEANWHILE, WHEN TRUMP SAW DISABLED VETERANS LEGALLY SELLING MERCHANDISE IN FRONT OF HIS PROPERTIES HE SAID THERE WORK WAS DOWNGRADING THE AREA. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, DONALD, OUR VETERANS DON'T DOWNGRADE YOUR REAL ESTATE. THEY UPGRADE OUR COUNTRY. [CHEERS] DONALD PRAISES DICTATORS OF INSULT OUR ALLIES. HIS FOREIGN POLICY BE BASED ON FALSE BRAVADO AND BLUSTER. I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WHO MAKES THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT WILL -- POWER THEY HAVE. TO SEND OUR MEN AND WOMEN INTO BATTLE. WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO HONORS THE SERVICE OF OUR TROOPS ABROAD AND HE RESPECTS THEIR SACRIFICE WHEN THEY COME HOME. A LEADER WHO PROVIDES STEADY LEADERSHIP AND PROTECTS AMERICAN VALUES. WE NEED HILLARY CLINTON AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. THANK YOU. [CHEERS] (music)

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